Creative, arts and culture organisations in Harborough come together to help shape town's creative future

A network of creative, arts and cultural organisations in Harborough is being formed to help shape the town’s creative future.

Not-for-profit partnership Creative Harborough will launch in spring, bringing together more than 30 organisations in the town and surrounding villages.

It aims to foster collaboration between creative professionals, organisations and the local community in a bid to blend the town’s existing arts and culture heritage with new events, offers and celebrations.

Residents will be able to have a say about what they want and find out more at an open house event at Harborough Theatre between 11am and 3pm on Saturday (March 2).

Culture Café founder and Creative Harborough spokeswoman Penny Nicholson said: “There is an extraordinary range of creative activities in Market Harborough, and too much of it is unknown. We strongly believe that ‘anyone can...’ paint, write, draw, film, compose, dance, or simply watch and enjoy, so we’ve developed the Creative Harborough network to open the door for everyone to get involved.

“Creativity, arts and culture play a vital role in individual wellbeing, and in creating a happy and healthy, inclusive and thriving town. We want to develop a local arts scene which anyone can take part in, that enriches the lives of the people living in our community, and attracts more visitors to our wonderful town.

“Our ‘open house’ event on March 2 is an invitation for people to learn more and to help us create that vision.”

The network is set to launch a website where creative businesses and organisations can join and where the public can be signposted to a programme of creative opportunities and access blogs from Creative Harborough’s members.

Andrew Cartwright of Wingates Gallery added: "Many of us grew up with far greater involvement with arts and culture on a day to day than we do today. So, with this in mind, the new Creative Harborough group aims to reverse this trend and encourage as many residents of Market Harborough as possible to become aware and involved in the activities and events happening across this fabulous town of ours from literature, dance, theatre, music and art. How? Simply by centrally providing a hub where information can be found for all creative groups in the town and ways to become involved."

Claire Webb of The Paint Pottle is calling on local schools to get involved with the initiative. She said: “We want to plan a programme of events that allows anyone from our local community to experience and be inspired by creativity and this includes all of the young people in our town. We’re working with teachers and the creative departments of our schools but we would really encourage all pupils to come and talk to us so they can take a lead in shaping the local creativity and culture available to them.”

Email [email protected] for more information. The website will launch on Saturday (March 2) at www.creativeharborough.org.uk.